The classic four-field architecture (memorise the table):
| Branch | Studies | Nepal examples |
|---|---|---|
| Biological/physicalanthropology | human origins and evolution (paleoanthropology — the fossil record); human variation and genetics; primatology; forensic anthropology (identification of remains — the branch courts meet) | high-altitude adaptation studies of Himalayan populations |
| Archaeology (anthropological archaeology) | past societies through material remains — from stone tools to historical sites | Lumbini's excavations; the old hill forts (dunga); Sinja Valley's Khasa-era remains |
| Linguisticanthropology | language in cultural context: structure, history, social use, language and worldview | Nepal's 120+ languages: Tibeto-Burman and Indo- Aryan families; language shift and revitalisation |
| Socio-culturalanthropology | living societies: kinship, religion, economy, politics, law — ethnographically | the dominant Nepali branch: Newar, Tharu, Limbu, Sherpa, Dalit ethnographies |
(Plus the applied wings worth naming):development anthropology (Unit 7's core), medical anthropology, environmental anthropology, legal anthropology (Unit 9's sibling field), visual anthropology, urban anthropology.